Chivas Brothers, the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard, has opened a new multi-million pound visitor centre at its Beefeater gin distillery in south London.

Beefeater London: The Home of Gin – claims to be London’s first dedicated gin distillery visitor centre. Beefeater London Dry Gin claims to be the only ‘historic gin’ still distilled in the capital city. It claims to be the number 1 premium gin brand in the world (IWSR).

In Spain Beefeater remains the biggest-selling gin brand with a 29% share of the gin category and at the end of 2013 it became the country’s biggest selling spirit brand (IWSR 2013).In emerging markets such as Turkey and the Czech Republic Chivas reports Beefeater is also growing strongly while maintaining traditional footholds in Japan and the US.

The visitor centre has been created under the auspices of master distiller and chairman of the International Spirits Challenge’s gin judges, Desmond Payne, who has over 45 years’ experience in the gin industry and is considered one of the world’s leading gin experts.

To coincide with the opening,Chivas has launched Beefeater London Garden gin, which is only available from the visitor centre close to the Kennington Oval cricket ground. It retails for £22.50 (70cl).